Help is on the way!
Midweek Study with Pastor Edith
September 27, 2023
John 15:9-12
Jesus has a marvelous way of teaching. He invites all who choose to follow him to do just that, to follow him. This manner of teaching, or leading by example, is indeed a high standard to follow. In the passage I have chosen for today, Jesus is teaching his followers to abide in his love. The word abide means to remain, or sojourn. It is a picture of sticking with the plan; “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now, abide in my love. If you obey my commands, you will abide in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.”
Recently I was exposed to some great examples of this kind of love. Friends and family gathered around to help a young family during a most difficult time. They sacrificed their own family time and resources to stay close and provide for this hurting family all through an extended illness and even more sacrifices were made during the final week before their loved one passed on. It’s one thing to say we love someone, it’s quite another to show it consistently and without conditions. That’s what Jesus taught, that’s what Jesus did and all the more as he sacrificed his own life for a lost world of hurting people.
The end of our passage for today tells us that when we love the way Jesus loved, we will have joy. This is where the “sojourn” part of the definition of the word “abide” comes into play. We will experience joy in this journey of faith as we trust in and abide in the Father’s love, even in the most difficult times. Hold on, Help is on the way!
Amen!